1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to portable fire extinguisher supports, and more particularly, to such supports which are useful at job construction sites and which are easily and conveniently transported and stored when not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various regulations require that a minimum number of fire extinguishers be located at the site of very certain location jobs. For example, OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Act) regulations require that one fire extinguisher be located for every 3,000 square feet of working area throughout the life of a construction project. The OSHA regulations require that such fire extinguishers be mounted approximately 31/2 feet above a ground or floor surface and that the location of each fire extinguisher be identified both by the color of the supports therefore and by means of large letters spelling the words "FIRE EXTINGUISHER." The regulations exist because fire prevention and control measures of other types frequently are not conveniently provided at such construction sites, resulting in frequent injury to workers when fires break out at construction sites. Presently, construction workers frequently build fire extinguisher support racks out of "two by four" wood stud material or the like and also construct make-shift signs identifying the locations of the portable fire extinguishers out of available materials. The studs utilized are quite expensive, as are the materials utilized for the signs. Furthermore, the labor costs incurred in making the make-shift racks and signs are unduly high. The make-shift racks and signs are ordinarily simply torn apart and discarded after a construction job is completed, since the racks cannot be conveniently transported or stored. Although a prior art search directed to the present invention was performed and uncovered U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,879,937; 2,511,292; 2,615,238; 3,565,384; 3,547,309; 3,561,158; 3,602,368; and 3,921,950 disclosing a variety of racks and fire extinguisher supports, none disclose an inexpensive, safe, portable, easily transported and stored fire extinguisher support suitable for satisfying the above-mentioned regulations.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive support or rack for portable fire extinguishers.
It is another object of the invention to provide an inexpensive fire extinguisher support which is easily transported and is conveniently stackable with other such fire extinguisher supports.
It is another object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, stackable, fire extinguisher support which is portable and highly stable and not easily damaged or knocked over by gusts of winds or by being bumped by construction workers and their equipment.
It is another object of the invention to provide a support for portable fire extinguishers, which support is adjustable to stably and safely support a variety of sizes of portable fire extinguishers.
Typically, at construction sites, there are no permanent walls or other vertical structures to permit fastening of conventional hangers for supporting portable fire extinguishers. There is a need for a means of supporting portable fire extinguishers which enable the portable fire extinguishers to be easily relocated as the progress of job work at a construction site progresses.
It is another object of the invention to provide a low cost, durable portable fire extinguisher stand which is easily relocatable as progress of job work at a construction site progresses and which is capable of supporting various sizes and weights of portable fire extinguishers having various support brackets or hooks thereon.